Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Sacrificial Worship

God has created us to worship Him. He allows us to do this in many ways. Some women find that being in nature brings them closer to Him. Others are brought to the heart of the Father through prayer and meditation. Some worship by giving their time and talents to our hurting world by doing community service.

I read this quote today as I was working on research for my new manuscript. It's written by David Jeremiah, "The greatest mystery of all is that true worship is truly costly. During the past few years I've learned this truth more and more deeply. I no longer want to give God the superficial and the frivolous. I no longer want to hold back from Him the best and the dearest things. I don't want to play at worship any longer, but to worship God. I want to have the very best of my attention, the very deepest of my sacrifice, the most profound of my music and teaching and feeling as I enter into His presence." (My Heart's Desire, page 78)

This is what I want too. I desire to worship sacrificially. In our culture, this is not the norm. But what would it be like if all followers of Christ determined to live out our faith in sacrificial worship? I believe it would change the world.

Today I am considering what sacrificial worship looks like for me. I am searching my heart and seeking God's opinion.

What would sacrificial worship look like for you?

Revelation 4:11 (NIV)
"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

Keep the Heart-Print Faith,

Susanne


1 comment:

Joyful said...

I think of the chorus we so often sing at church, "We bring a sacrifice of praise, Into the House of the Lord." We sing it usually with an upbeat tempo, but do we really know what we're saying? A sacrifice of praise. A time when offering praise is most difficult, probably due to circumstances or feelings. A time when praising the Lord and thanking Him is completely based on who He is, not what He has or hasn't done or allowed. Regardless of the illness that threatens, regardless of the financial worries, regardless of the prodigal child, regardless of the marital strain etc... I will still worship and praise You.

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pens and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior." Habakkuk 3:17-18

Longing to worship the Lord in a way that would require a true sacrifice and surrender...not to give from my abundance, but my lack.

Seeking and praying,
Joy